"They were a motley collection; a mixture of the weak seeking protection, the ambitious seeking some shared glory, and the thuggish gravitating toward a leader who could show them more refined forms of cruelty."

The Death Eaters (originally the Knights of Walpurgis[1]) was the name given to followers of Lord Voldemort. The group primarily consisted of wizards and witches who were radical pure blood supremacists, and who practised the Dark Arts with reckless abandon and without regard or fear of wizarding law. Lord Voldemort used this select group of wizards and witches during both the First and Second Wizarding Wars, employing them as his elite force. They often wore black hoods and masks with snake-like eye slits to cover their faces. Only the members of the inner circle of the Death Eaters had Dark Marks burned into their left forearms. When Voldemort touched one of them, each of the Death Eaters felt it, signalling for them to Apparate to their leader's side.

Contents

History

Forerunners

Prior to the Death Eaters themselves came to be, Tom Riddle, as Lord Voldemort was known in his childhood and early adulthood, gathered a gang of Slytherin students whom he claimed to be and acted out as his friends, though in truth, he felt no real attachments to any of them due to his lack of desire for a true friend. They were a mixture of weak seeking protection, ambitious seeking glory, and thuggish seeking a leader who could show them more refined cruelty, and were considered to be forerunners of the Death Eaters, as most (if not all) indeed became the first Death Eaters. He manipulated them to do his biddings, and though this led to several nasty incidents over the years, with Riddle's strategic discretion, none of them were linked back to the group, much less the model student Riddle himself.

Death Eater activity during the First Wizarding War consisted of attacks on wizards and witches, and large numbers of Muggles. These were initiated by the Death Eaters often, but not always, on the orders of Voldemort. When the Ministry did not suffer an ostensible collapse in the eleven years of Voldemort's reign, the Death Eaters began to attack prominent wizarding families. As a result, fear gripped the wider wizard community, but the Death Eaters remained opposed by the Order of the Phoenix, founded by Albus Dumbledore.

Snape failed to overhear the entire prophecy, including the announcement that Voldemort himself would mark his own equal. Although Voldemort killed James and, despite Snape's pleas that she be spared, Lily, the Killing Curse rebounded off Harry and hit Voldemort, destroying his living body. However, due to his extensive performance of Dark magic, Voldemort's soul survived and escaped.[3]

With their leader's disappearance, the Death Eaters largely fell into chaos. Many were rounded up and imprisoned without trial, as part of the hard line taken by Ministry official Barty Crouch Sr.[4]Sirius Black, whom Pettigrew framed for his crimes, was among those imprisoned in Azkaban without a trial.[5] Soon afterward, Bellatrix, Rodolphus, and Rabastan Lestrange, and Barty Crouch Jr., tortured the Longbottoms into insanity while trying to procure information about Voldemort's whereabouts. They were captured and sentenced to Azkaban, but Bellatrix proudly proclaimed that the Dark Lord would rise again.[4]

Between Wars

"The Dark Lord will rise again, Crouch! Throw us into Azkaban; we will wait! He will rise again and will come for us, he will reward us beyond any of his other supporters! We alone were faithful! We alone tried to find him!"

Some Death Eaters managed to elude justice by claiming the Imperius Curse had been used on them, such as Lucius Malfoy, or by turning in other Death Eaters, as Igor Karkaroff did. Due to many tried to escape by claiming they were bewitched, the Ministry assigned specialists to find out who was lying, although this did not work out to the fullest, as Malfoy and several others still passed. Most followers hid their allegiance to Voldemort and therefore did not try to find him, although a handful of Death Eaters, such as the Lestranges and Barty Crouch Jr., remained fiercely loyal to their fallen master and sought him out. They were supposedly rewarded by Voldemort for their loyalty. Some, such as Evan Rosier, chose to resist arrest and fought to the death.

Outbreaks of Death Eater activity did occur, although rarely and sporadically, during the thirteen years of Voldemort's absence. Perhaps the most notable event was the riots at the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup in 1994, during which a group of Death Eaters attacked the camp of wizards and witches as well as a nearby Muggle family. The Death Eaters seemed to consider torturing and humiliating Muggles a form of entertainment.[4]

The Dark Lord's return

The Death Eaters return to the fold.

On 24 June1995, Lord Voldemort finally returned to a physical body through a Dark potion created by Peter Pettigrew (the potion required a bone from Voldemort's father, flesh from the servant and blood from the enemy - that being Harry). The body was human-shaped, though hairless and with many unusual features such as serpentine nostril slits and feline-esque eyes.

Moments after Lord Voldemort had finally regained his body, he summoned his followers to him by touching Peter Pettigrew's Dark Mark. Some proved too afraid to return to him, such as defector Igor Karkaroff, while others who were dead or imprisoned remained absent. Severus Snape did not return on the claim that he had to appear more loyal to Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix; Snape returned two hours later, under the claim that he was trying to maintain the cover of a double agent, which the Dark Lord found satisfying. Despite several absences, there were several who returned the call, including Lucius Malfoy, Nott, Crabbe, and Goyle, who had sons at Hogwarts School; Avery went to beg for forgiveness, but Voldemort told the band of Death Eaters who did not try to find him that he wants thirteen years of repayment before he could forgive them for their wavered loyalty; Snape would later comment that had the faithless Death Eaters not been forgiven, then Voldemort would have very few followers left, indicating many deserters compared to surviving loyalists.

Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, and most of the Ministry of Magic originally refused to believe that Lord Voldemort had returned. Though Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore served as dissenting voices, the majority of the public chose to believe in the Ministry, as well as its wider propaganda and smear campaign against Potter and Dumbledore, printed in news outlets such as the Daily Prophet. Finally in 1996, the Minister for Magic sees Voldemort when he is attacking Harry in the Ministry of Magic.[3]

Armed with the advantage of the Ministry's denial, the Death Eaters kept a low profile in order to maintain their standing in the wizarding world, and to slowly but surely rebuild their forces without detection or hindrance. Due in part to the Ministry's refusal to remove the Dementors from Azkaban, a proposition Dumbledore supported immediately following Voldemort's return, the Death Eaters informally recruited the Dementors to the cause. Similar progress was made with giants. The quiet revolt of the Dementors fostered a mass breakout of imprisoned Death Eaters from Azkaban in early 1996.

Death Eater

In early summer of 1996, Voldemort sent a group of twelve Death Eaters, led by Lucius Malfoy, into the Department of Mysteries in order to steal the prophecy concerning himself and Harry Potter. Having originally attacked Harry Potter based upon a partial recounting of it, Voldemort now desired to hear the full version in order to understand entirely the nature of the connection between himself and Potter. Harry was lured there, along with five other members of Dumbledore's Army, when Voldemort used their connection to give Harry a false vision of his godfather being tortured.

Bellatrix, the best Lieutenant of Voldemort in front of Albus Dumbledore.

However, Harry and his friends managed to elude the Death Eaters. The prophecy was accidentally destroyed by Neville Longbottom during the battle. A battle ensued between the Death Eaters and several members of the Order of the Phoenix. Eleven of the twelve Death Eaters were captured and Sirius Black was killed; Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange fled, but not before Ministry officials witnessed the return of the Dark Lord.[3]

Open war

Death Eaters attacking London.

The raid was a failure for the Death Eaters because their reactivation was no longer a secret and several members were deported to Azkaban, and the return of Voldemort was proved to the skeptical Ministry. Revealed at last to the wizarding community, the Death Eaters proceeded to resume their earlier lifestyle and behaviour. Kidnapping, torturing, and assassinations of wizards and witches, and Muggles began anew as the Second War began. Due to the Ministry's failure to see the danger at hand in time, the Death Eaters' forces had already grown to the point where the Ministry had a very difficult time in keeping them in check.[3][2]

Dumbledore encountered Draco Malfoy and froze Harry who was hidden under the Invisibility Cloak. Draco revealed how he successfully used a Vanishing Cabinet to help the Death Eaters to enter at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and according to him, one of Dumbledore's allies is dead (it was revealed later that Bill Weasley is the one Draco is alluding to, but Bill was not really dead, just mauled by the werewolf Fenrir Greyback). Dumbledore then informed Draco that he already knew about the assassination plot, the cursed necklace and the poison intended to kill him. He also delayed Draco in his plans to murder him, until Severus Snape and four other Death Eaters arrived at the scene. Severus Snape successfully cast the Killing Curse on Dumbledore in front of the four Death Eaters, Fenrir Greyback, Draco, and Harry who was still unnoticed and hidden. After Dumbledore's death, the jubilant Death Eaters retreated on Snape's orders. Harry Potter, free from Dumbledore's Full Body-Bind Curse, quickly chased after the Death Eaters and cast several unsuccessful spells at Snape when they reached the grounds. A fellow Dark Wizard and Follower of the Dark Lord named Thorfinn Rowle set fire to Rubeus Hagrid's hut, and the Death Eaters Disapparated when they reached the gate.

The final year

Plottings and tactics

"Not content with corrupting and polluting the minds of Wizarding children, last week Professor Burbage wrote an impassioned defence of Mudbloods in the Daily Prophet. Wizards, she says, must accept these thieves of their knowledge and magic. The dwindling of the pure-bloods is, says Professor Burbage, a most desirable circumstances... She would have us all mate with Muggles..."

Now that Dumbledore was finally killed, the Death Eaters became even bolder in their campaign of terror against the British wizarding world. Voldemort, with his Death Eaters, planned several courses of action following the successful assassination of Dumbledore. One was the overthrowing of the Ministry of Magic so Voldemort had absolute power. Another was capturing Harry Potter and killing him. While Voldemort went on his own personal quests and stayed out of sight of the wizarding community's eye, he worked through others, including Yaxley at the Ministry working in the Department of Magial Law Enforcement, and Severus Snape and the Carrows at Hogwarts working as professors.

The meeting place for the Death Eaters was the Malfoy Manor. At this place, the Death Eaters would make reports and the Dark Lord would give them orders. On one occasion, Voldemort took reports on goings on at the Ministry of Magic by Yaxley, though was more impressed with reports by Snape regarding the Order of the Phoenix's plans to move Harry Potter. Voldemort also ridiculed Bellatrix Lestrange and the Malfoys for the marriage of Remus Lupin, a known werewolf, to Nymphadora Tonks, a relative of theirs. At this meeting, Charity Burbage, a professor of Muggle Studies at Hogwarts, was murdered by Voldemort and then fed to Nagini. Voldemort also took Lucius Malfoy's wand to fight against Harry Potter, believing his own to be inferior to Harry's.[6]

Attempt on Harry Potter

Still opposed by the Order of the Phoenix and Dumbledore's Army, who knew it was not safe to trust the Ministry of Magic, Voldemort knew through Snape that Harry Potter would be moved from the house of his aunt and uncle a few days before his seventeenth birthday, which is when spells protecting him would have broken. The exact details of this move were unknown to the Death Eaters at large, though Snape manipulated Mundungus Fletcher with magic and knew the plans, only telling the Dark Lord enough to display loyalty.

During the ensuing battle, Snape used Sectumsempra aimed to attack a Death Eater who was meaning to hit Remus Lupin on the back, but missed and slashed George Weasley's ear off. Bellatrix Lestrange tried very hard to kill Tonks, but she did not succeed in while Tonks herself injured Rodolphus Lestrange. Alastor Moody was killed by Voldemort himself. However, numerous Death Eaters were injured, and one was supposedly killed.

When Harry Potter used Expelliarmus, which they had come to consider Potter's trademark spell, against Stan Shunpike, who was under the Imperius Curse, they knew the real Harry to be with Hagrid. Voldemort himself was present, flying without the aid of a broomstick, and led the charge against Harry. Despite their attempts to capture the boy, they were thwarted by Harry's spell-work, Hagrid's selfless courage, and finally, when Harry crossed into a protective spell over the home of Ted Tonks. Lucius' wand was snapped by a spell cast by Harry's wand, infuriating Voldemort even more.[6]

Under the control of the Death Eaters, the Ministry created the Muggle-Born Registration Commission, an instrument of humiliation and persecution against Muggle-borns, who were falsely accused of having "stolen" magic and imprisoned in Azkaban for it. Propaganda against Muggle-borns and Harry Potter was spread; Harry was considered "Undesirable Number One" and there was a 10,000 Galleon reward for his capture. The Taboo curse was also placed upon Voldemort's name as a method of locating anybody who was brave enough to say the name Voldemort.[6]

"The Dark Lord is coming, Harry Potter! Your death approaches! Now…Cissy, I think we ought to tie these little heroes up again, while Greyback takes care of Miss Mudblood. I am sure the Dark Lord will not begrudge you the girl, Greyback, after what you have done tonight."

During Harry Potter's time hidden from the Death Eaters, he accidentally said Voldemort's name and thus triggered the Taboo placed upon the name. He, Ron and Hermione were captured by a group of Snatchers led by Fenrir Greyback and brought to Malfoy Manor, where they were confronted by Bellatrix Lestrange and the Malfoys. Before either Lucius or Bellatrix could summon the Dark Lord, Bellatrix spotted Godric Gryffindor's Sword among the trio's possessions and interrogated Hermione using the Cruciatus Curse to find out where they got the item. She lied, claiming it was only a copy, a story Harry convinced the goblinGriphook to support. In the meantime, Dobby the house-elf came and rescued Harry, Ron, Garrick Ollivander, Luna Lovegood, and Dean Thomas from the basement. He, Harry and Ron saved Hermione and Griphook and took various wands from the house's occupants before fleeing; Dobby was killed by Bellatrix in the process.

As punishment for summoning him without successfully holding Potter, Voldemort punished all present and forbade them to leave the manor.[6]

Harry Potter concluded from Bellatrix's behaviour at Malfoy Manor that a horcrux was in her safe at Gringotts Wizarding Bank. With the help of Griphook, Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered the bank and took Helga Hufflepuff's Cup, escaping on a dragon. The Cup was later destroyed by Hermione Granger using a basilisk fang when she and Ron entered the Chamber of Secrets.

Though the three companions were successful, Voldemort learned from hearing about Harry's venture into the bank that they were seeking his horcruxes. In panic, he went to the places the horcruxes were hidden, leaving Hogwarts last, but in the process revealing to Harry Potter that Hogwarts was indeed the last place to go.[6]

Voldemort (centre) with his Death Eaters amassing behind him preparing for the attack on the castle

"If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste... I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour... I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you... I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

It was then revealed to Harry that he himself had accidentally been turned into a horcrux. He willingly took a Killing Curse from Lord Voldemort in order to destroy it, but because his mother's sacrifice lived on in his blood, the blood Voldemort took in himself in order to regain a body, Harry was not killed. Before Harry tried to sacrifice himself, he warned Neville Longbottom to kill Nagini. Neville retrieved the sword of Gryffindor and beheaded Nagini.

An army of reinforcements stormed the castle and the Death Eaters were defeated until only Bellatrix Lestrange (killed by Molly Weasley) and Voldemort himself were left. Harry and Voldemort then faced off in one last confrontation. Because Harry was the true master of the Elder Wand, the curse rebounded upon Voldemort, killing the dark wizard once and for all.

With the death of their master and the battle lost, many of the Death Eaters who survived were arrested, while others went into hiding. A few, such as the Malfoys, were pardoned. After Voldemort's death, the Dark Marks on the Death Eaters' forearms faded into scars.[6]

Ideology

"Many of our oldest family trees become a little diseased over time. You must prune yours, must you not, to keep it healthy? Cut away those parts that threaten the health of the rest... And in your family, so in the world...we shall cut away the cancer that infects us until only those of the true blood remain..."

The Death Eaters also attacked pure-bloods who opposed them, such as Fabian and Gideon Prewett, who were members of the Order of the Phoenix. Their main targets, however, were Muggle-borns, whom they hated and believed should not be allowed access to the wizarding world, judging from their mass imprisonment of Muggle-borns during the height of the Second Wizarding War. It is possible that some Death Eaters believed the theory their propaganda put forth — that Muggle-borns stole magic from "real" wizards and witches — though this may have been nothing more than an excuse to send Muggle-borns to Azkaban.[6] In any case, the Death Eaters regarded Muggle-borns as inferior and undeserving of magic, and thought those who disagreed, so-called blood traitors, were nearly as bad.[7] However, in "rare circumstances", a Muggle-born who was exceptionally powerful or talented might be permitted to become a Death Eater[8]. Their actions on Muggle-borns also seemed to have deviated between wars, as during the First Wizarding War the Death Eaters would mass murder Muggle-borns, while during the Second War they would imprison and humiliate them, as opposed to executing them outright, via the false propaganda the Ministry put forth, showing that the Death Eaters have grown more arrogant and sadistic when they took over the Ministry.

Although some Death Eaters appear to have been fanatically loyal to Voldemort, such as Bellatrix Lestrange and Barty Crouch Jr., many seemed to serve him largely out of fear. As soon as he was defeated in 1981, many immediately renounced their loyalty and did not attempt to find Voldemort in the intervening years. Those who rioted at the 1994Quidditch World Cup also fled when the Dark Mark was cast. Bill Weasley speculated then that those Death Eaters were “even more frightened than the rest of us to see him come back”[9]. However, most Apparated to his side if they were able when Voldemort called them upon his return, claiming that they had been loyal all along.

In turn, even though Voldemort values the services they provide, and sometimes act as though they were close, he sees them as no more than dispensable servants. Voldemort was willing to sacrifice even the most loyal of them if it serves him well, the most prominent example being Severus Snape, who he thought to the end was faithful. Some Death Eaters delude themselves to thinking that they alone know and understand Voldemort, and even were close to him, but Voldemort never once desired a friend.

"...why did this band of wizards never come to the aid of their master, to whom they swore eternal loyalty?"

—Voldemort stating the obligations that the Death Eaters have sworn to when they sided with him.[src]

Becoming a Death Eater meant a lifetime service to Lord Voldemort. They have no right to just "hand in their resignation" if the situation looks grim; deserters would be marked for death. Sirius Black thought his younger brother was killed for attempting to quit after being asked to do something hard, even though later this turned out to be the opposite. Igor Karkaroff deserted the Death Eaters after turning many of them over to the Ministry, and even though he went into hiding after his former master was revived, he was eventually caught and killed for his disloyalty. However, Voldemort did forgive the servants who did not attempt to find him, but returned when he touched Wormtail's Dark Mark, as Snape claimed that if otherwise, then Voldemort would be left with very few followers.

Betrayed James and Lily Potter to Lord Voldemort, framing Sirius Black for the crime, whilst killing twelve Muggles in the process and faking his own death. Present at the Dark Lord's rebirth, assisting him in doing so, murdering Cedric Diggory in the process. Prior to these events, he lead Bertha Jorkins to her death. Pettigrew tried to strangle Harry Potter in Malfoy Manor but hesitated when Harry Potter reminded him of a life debt, which resulted in him getting killed by his enchanted silver hand.

Gave information to Lord Voldemort about the prophecy leading to the death of James and Lily Potter during the First Wizarding War. He then reformed out of remorse for Lily's death and worked as a double agent for the Order of the Phoenix against the Death Eaters. Participated in a plan of Dumbledore's resulting in his death and Snape becoming Headmaster of Hogwarts, a position he used to covertly assist Harry Potter and his friends. Was killed by Nagini under the command of Voldemort, who believed Snape was the master of the Elder Wand.

Death Eaters allies and other affiliations

The Death Eaters seems to have hierarchy, with Voldemort at the top, followed by top ranking members, who were often his most powerful and trusted Death Eaters. Arguably, his top most Death Eaters were Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy (until he lost favour), Bellatrix Lestrange and Barty Crouch Jr.

Was included in Draco's gang. During the Second Wizarding War, she attempted to get Harry Potter to turn him in the the Dark Lord. After Lord Voldemort's downfall, she most likely resumed her education in Hogwarts. However, she is NOT exactly a DE ally.

Walpurgis Night is the day before the feast day of St. Walpurga on the first of May. May 1st, 1998 was the last full day of Voldemort and the Death Eaters' reign of terror. They were finally destroyed on May 2nd.

The hoods worn by the Death Eaters in their first film appearance bear a resemblance to those worn by the Ku Klux Klan. For later films, the design was changed to one with a full mask and no point on the hood.

Despite his allegiance with Lord Voldemort, Fenrir Greyback was not an official Death Eater due to the fact that he was a werewolf. Nonetheless, Voldemort saw Greyback as too valuable an accomplice not to have in his ranks, and allowed him to accompany the group and wear their robes.

Narcissa Malfoy was not officially a Death Eater, never having been branded with the Dark Mark, even though she was married to Lucius Malfoy and is the sister of Bellatrix Lestrange, both very high-ranking Death Eaters. However, she was an ally of the Death Eaters, as she may have participated in the tormenting of Muggles the night of the 1994Quidditch World Cup, relayed information to Voldemort which led to the Battle of the Department of Mysteries and the murder of Sirius Black, sat in on Death Eater meetings (though this may simply have been because they were held in her home at the time, much to her discomfort), and was given the duty of finding out whether or not Harry Potter was truly dead. However, she was not known to have participated in any battles, and she ultimately lied to Voldemort about Harry's death and thus helped bring about his fall.

Quirinus Quirrell was loyal to Lord Voldemort, but he was not a Death Eater as the organisation was inactive during Voldemort's years of disembodiment. Had he successfully resurrected his master, he almost certainly would've become one.

Several Death Eaters with the same last name have been mentioned in the series (e.g. Lestrange, Avery, Mulciber), which suggests that fealty to Voldemort may not end with the person themselves, and extends to their children. It is equally possible, however, that the children have similar ideological views to their parents.

Dolores Umbridge was never explicitly mentioned to be a Death Eater; however, she was a sympathiser who committed crimes against Muggle-borns at the Ministry of Magic while it was under Voldemort's control. She also participated in her own punishment for Harry Potter with a cursed quill for his outcry in Defence Against the Dark Arts, permanently carving I must not tell lies on the back of Harry's hand.

Unlike their fathers, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle and Theodore Nott do not appear to have ever been official Death Eaters, though Crabbe and Goyle were sympathisers who tried to capture Harry Potter for Voldemort during the Battle of Hogwarts, resulting in the death of Ravenclaw's diadem, the death of Crabbe and the destruction of the Room of Requirement.

Bellatrix was referred by J.K. Rowling as Voldemort's lieutenant, suggesting that she may be the second-in-command of the Death Eater organisation. Indeed, she has demonstrated great talent in combat and leadership skills and has been, in the past, trusted with many important things by her master. Similarly, Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape seemed to be lieutenants of Voldemort. Bellatrix and Lucius Malfoy were entrusted with Horcruxes. All three were allowed to give subordinate Death Eater orders. However, Malfoy lost favour with Voldemort shortly before his demise.